“Star Wars: Squadrons is a space combat game set in the Star Wars universe developed by Motive Studios and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 2, 2020. The game’s story is set after Return of the Jedi.”
-Wikipedia

I’m old enough to have played with the original Star Wars toys – my brother had an X-Wing with a Luke Skywalker figure, and I had a TIE Fighter with Darth Vader. But it wasn’t until the mid-90s, when the franchise experienced a resurgence in popularity, that I fell in love with all things related to the story that took place…

Needless to say, I have since spent countless hours and dollars on all things related to the franchise – I own books, comics, and lightsabres. But of all the memorabilia that’s available, the P.C. flight sim games are what I enjoyed the most; specifically, the X-Wing series.

Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a Star Wars themed flight sim game since 1999. I suspect the rise and domination of the console platform killed off this genre; a hand-held controller is no substitute for a HOTAS system (hands on throttle on stick).

However, the release of the (God-awful) sequel trilogy, i.e. Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, coupled with the current popularity of MMORPG’s on P.C.’s, created the right climate for a return to this style of game.

I won’t waste too much space on the details, but the game puts you in the role as a pilot flying for the New Republic, the Rebellion-turned-government, and the Empire, now a shadow of its former self. While there is a single-player storyline from both perspectives, the real meat of the game is the cooperate play between two five-person teams. You can choose from a variety of iconic starfighters to fill specific roles in combat, from the X-Wing space superiority fighter, to the TIE Interceptor for high=speed pursuit.

It’s undoubtedly a niche game, appealing to flight sim gamers and Star Wars fans. And those fan are as happy as a bantha roaming the desert.

So, the time has come to pick a side…

Or…

…and get into the fight.

Good luck and good hunting pilot. May the Force be with you, for the preservation of the New Order!

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